Page 70 of These Pucking Boys

He stares at me in his intense way without saying a word. Is he jealous? Annoyed? Shit. There I go again, fucking things up.

“No reason,” he finally replies.

“Oh, here comes Melissa with Mr. Hollywood,” Ian pipes up.

Now I’m really tense. Mr. Hollywood must be Melissa’s fiancé. I turn and confirm my suspicion. I can’t believe I’m about to meet Elijah Foreman without an ounce of liquid courage coursing through my veins. I’m shaking already.

Jake leans closer and whispers in my ear, “He’s just a man, June. Relax.”

“That’s easy for you to say. Elijah Foreman is a god in Hollywood.”

“No one is a god.”

Melissa is smiling brightly when she reaches us. “Hi June, you look stunning as always.”

“Thank you, Melissa. So do you.”

She looks at Jake and shakes her head. “Jake... no comment.”

“Good,” he grumbles.

“June, I’d like you to meet my fiancé, Elijah Foreman. I told him all about you.”

Face. Burn. “Oh my. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing.”

Elijah extends his hand. “Nice to meet you, June. I look forward to reading one of your screenplays one day.”

I open my mouth to reply, but he fishes out his phone from his jacket pocket and says, “Excuse me. I need to get this.”

He walks away with his phone glued to his ear before anyone else can say a word. Melissa glares at his retreating back, then turns to me. “I’m sorry about that. Elijah doesn’t have an off button. It’s always work, work, work.”

I’m a little disappointed that I barely had a chance to talk to him, but I try to hide it. “Don’t worry about it. He’s a busy man. I understand.”

“Jake, you were looking for Ryan and Lachy. There they are,” Simon points with his head.

I turn and spot them, plus a young and attractive woman. I can’t see her face well, but her shoulders are hunched forward, and she’s hugging her middle. She looks dejected. Lachlan and Ryan seem to be arguing. What the hell is going on?

“Are they fighting over some random girl?” Simon asks.

“I’d better go find out what that’s about.” Jake steps forward, but Melissa reaches for his arm and stops him.

“Let them be. I need you somewhere else.”

Jake frowns at Melissa, and while he’s paying attention to her, he misses the girl who was with Lachlan and Ryan walking away. Lachlan says something to Ryan, but he shakes his head and then walks away too.

“Where do you want me to be?” Jake asks Melissa.

“It’s time to play nice with your father.”

I whip my face toward Jake. I didn’t know his father would be here. Jake’s expression has turned as hard as a stone. This can’t be good.

CHAPTER 29

JAKE

As much as I want to find out what’s happening with Lachy and Ryan, Melissa is right to stop me. My father never hid he’s a Bobcats fan, but if I ignore him tonight, the media vultures will spin whatever story they want, and it won’t benefit me. I don’t get along with the asshole, but I don’t want lies about my family to spread like a disease.

It’s time to do what I came here for—deal with the jackass.

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